A 26-year-old man has been shot dead in Strandfontein, bringing to four the number of people killed in the area over four days.

The man was found with multiple gunshot wounds in Korvette Road on Monday at about 20:45, said Lt Col FC van Wyk, commander of the provincial media centre.

Strandfontein police have registered a murder case for investigation. The motive is believed to be gang-related.

Shootings spread across three streets

The killings began on Friday and continued on Saturday, before the latest shooting on Monday. Four people have now been shot dead in three streets in Strandfontein.

The streets fall within a four kilometer radius of each other, and while police have confirmed that the shootings are gang-related, they have not confirmed whether a gang war is underway.

However, crime fighters have reported that the anti-gang unit has investigated at the scenes.

Ward councillor Elton Jansen said he met with the Strandfontein Police Station Commander on Tuesday morning, who assured him police are doing everything in their power to address the shootings.

Van Wyk also confirmed by phone that experienced detectives and investigators are dealing with the murders, Jansen reported on his WhatsApp channel. The team would leave no stone unturned in its investigation to get to the bottom of the killings and gang-related violence in the area.

Police and metro officers deployed

City Metro Police have deployed members to the area, particularly around the schools, Jansen said.

Jansen said all members in the Safety and Security cluster, including the Community Policing Forum, police and the City of Cape Town Metro, are doing everything in their power to stabilise the situation.

He said he met with Strandfontein High School’s principal on Tuesday morning because messages had been circulating on social media, prompting parents to collect their children from school.

Jansen assured residents that neighbourhood safety officers will be in the area to monitor the situation and report any suspicious activity.

Call to prayer

The Strandfontein Community Police Forum has reissued its call to residents to join the police’s spiritual crime prevention group at a prayer session tonight.

Faith leaders were also asked to the interfaith prayer gathering, on Tuesday 20 October from 19:00 to 20:00 at Blou Dakke, on the corner of Church and Dennegeur street.

“The purpose is to pray for the affected families, call for peace and protection over the area, and unite spiritual leaders against gang violence,” the WhatsApp post said.

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